Ironing apparatus



NOV. 7, 1939. T, BUSH 2,179.115

' I IRONING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 24, 19 35 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 5 v INVENTOR E Tfieadar 7?. 15115}.

BY 0 t /I v ATTORNEY Nov. 7, 1939. T. R. Busl-l 2,179.115

' IRONING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 24, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 u h m-i' iii-V llmlm 25 INVENTOR 72600 0 5 77. Dusk. BY MU A'I'I'ORNEY Patented Nov. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES'PATENT OFFICE IRONING APPARATUS Theodore R. Bush, Royal ak, Mich., assignor to Borg-Warner Corporation, a corporation of Illinois 1 Application December 24, 1935, Serial No. 56,0l

15 Claims. (Cl. 38-34) This invention, in general, relates to ironing For a better understanding of the invention apparatus and has reference particularly to imreference may be had to the accompanying drawprovements in construction of ironing apparatus ings of which there are three sheets, and in whereby a practical ironing apparatus of the which:

portable hand operated type may be constructed. Fig. 1 is a plan view of an ironing apparatus 5 A principal object of the invention is to proembodying my invention; vide an improved form of portable hand operated Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the appaironing apparatus which is more efficient in ratus illustrated in Fig. 1; operation, which is relatively light in weight so Fig. 3 is a side elevationalview of the ironing that it is truly portable, which is simple in con apparatus, certain of the parts being broken 1 struction, which is easy and relatively simple to away to illustrate the operating mechanism of operate, which is adapted to be made under high the apparatus, the. parts being shown in a posiproduction methods of manufacturing, and which tion where the shoe is in operative position above is relatively inexpensive to manufacture. the buck but with the pressure released;

Another object of the invention is to provide Fig. 4 is a side elevational view similar to Fig. 3 15 a novel form of hand operated ironing apparatus but illustrating the position which the operating in which a single lever is utilized for controlling parts assume when the shoe is moving away from the different operations of the apparatus. the buck;

Another object of the invention is to provide Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of the shoe and an improved form of ironing apparatus in which the buck taken in a plane along the line 5-5 of 20 the operating structure is built upon a substan- Fig. 2;

tially solid base, which base is covered with a Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken in the plane on finished shroud for ornamental purposes. the line 6-6 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of Another object of the invention is to provide the arrows; a novel form of mounting for the buck, and a Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken in the plane 5 buck which is so-constructed that it is somewhat on the line 1-1 of Fig. 3, illustrating the presdeformable or resilient so as to aid in equalizing sure applying connection between the arm and the pressure between the shoe and the buck the shoe;

when a piece of material having portions of Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the rigid base; unequal thickness is inserted between the shoe and 30 and the buck. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the panel which forms Another object of the invention is to provide a a part of the buck. novel form of locking mechanism for the arm As illustrated in the drawings, the, ironing which carries the movable shoe, and to provide a apparatus comprises, in general, a rigid base 10,

novel form of connection between the arm and a buck l2 resiliently supported by the base I0, 5 the shoe and through which connection, pressure an arm l4 pivotally mounted at one end thereof may be applied to the shoe. upon the base III, a shoe l6 carried by the swing- As illustrated in the drawings, the ironer eming end of the arm H, a lever l8 carried by the bodying my invention comprises, in general, 9. arm l4 and operable for controlling the operation rigid base upon which a buck is resiliently of the ironing apparatus, and a shroud 20 pro- 40 mounted, an arm pivoted to the base, a shoe carviding an ornamental covering for the base l0. ried by said arm at its swinging end, said arm The arm I may, if desired, be provided with being adapted to swing or move said shoe from a forwardly projecting handle 22 for convenience an operative position immediately over the buck in moving the shoe into an operative position to an inoperative position away from the buck, over the buck. 45 a novel form of locking mechanism for the. arm The base I!) comprises a pair of relatively which becomes automatically effective when the heavy side rails 24, each rail being provided at shoe is moved into operative position over the one end thereof with an outwardly extending buck for locking said arm in position, a pressure arm 26, and at the other end thereof, with upapplying connection between the arm and the standing arms 28 which may be embossed, as 50 shoe for applying pressure to the shoe, andalever illustrated, for rigidity, the side rails 24 being for operating said pressure applying connection, connected adjacent the forward end thereof by a said lever being also operable for releasing said buck spring plate 30, and adjacent the rear end arm locking mechanism when it is desired to thereof and between the arms 28 by a cam plate '55 move said-shoe away from said buck. 32, and by another plate 34, which connects the arms 28 on the forward edge thereof. The base I0 is rigid and may be provided with a plurality of rubber feet 36 carried by brackets 38 secured to the frame I0. The base I0 is covered by the ornamental shroud 20 so as to be concealed thereby and which shroud 20 may be secured to the base I0 in any suitable manner such as by a plurality of stud bolts 40 securing an upturned portion of the shroud 20 to the plate 34 and a pair of brackets 42 secured to the under side of the shroud and bolted to the arms 28. The shroud 20 is provided with a throat portion 44 above the plate 30.

The buck I2 comprises a panel or plate 50, illustrated in plan in Fig. 9, and is constructed of sheet metal. The panel 50 is elongated and is provided with a generally square corner at one end and with a continuous curved portion at the other end thereof. The panel is provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending ribs 52 for stiffening, and with a rib 54 which extends around the periphery of the plate 50. The ribs 52 are enlarged at the center and are provided with a plurality of bolt holes 56. The edge of the plate 50 is provided with an upwardly extending flange 58 which acts to confine in place a pad 60 which is adapted to be covered by a removable cloth 62. The plate 50 is arched in cross section, as illustrated in Fig. 5, and is supported at the central portion thereof and secured by four bolts 64 which pass through aligned bolt holes in the plate 50 and the plate 30 and through the throat 44 of the shroud 20, the bolts on the under side of the plate being provided with a plurality of nuts and compression springs 65 being disposed about the bolts 64 and between the plates 50 and 30 for resiliently supporting the buck I2. A collar 66 is disposed below the plate 50, the cross section being shaped like the cross section of the throat, and is adapted to close the space between the upper extremity of the throat 44 and the under side of the plate 50. On account of the means by which the buck plate 50 is supported, the buck I2 is capable of movement relative to the frame I0 and is also capable of being displaced from its normal position when unequal pressures are applied to different portions thereof. The buck plate 50 being constructed of sheet metal is resilient and somewhat deformable under load and is capable of a certain amount of twisting due to the application of unequal pressures to different portions thereof and for the purpose of compensating for the effect produced by inserting a piece of material having portions of different thicknesses between the shoe and the buck so that the pressure applied may be more or less uniformly distributed over the entire area of the material confined between the shoe and the buck.

The arm I4 is channelled or U-shaped in cross section and is curved irregularly but somewhat symmetrically from one end thereof to the other. Adjacent to one end, the arm I4 is mounted upon a shaft 10 which extends between the arms 28 of the frame, and which shaft I0 is secured in place by a pair of screws I2 extending through aligned openings in the side walls of the arm I4 and the arms 28. A sleeve I4 is disposed about the shaft 10 and there is disposed about sleeve 14, a pair of coiled springs 15, one end of each of the coiled springs abutting a flange I8 on the plate 34, and the other end of each of the coiled springs abutting the inside of the arm I4 between the sides thereof for constraining the free end of the arm upwardly. 1

At the swinging end of the arm I4 and between the sides thereof a shaft is disposed, and which is secured in place by a pair of screws 82 extending through oppositely disposed openings in the sides of the arm I4 and upon which shaft, an eccentric 84 is disposed. A sleeve 86 is disposed about the eccentric and is provided with a depending arm 88 which together constitutes a pressure link. A shaft 90 is carried by the pressure link and extends through slots 92 formed in a pair of lugs 94 and in the sides of the arm I4. The lugs 54 are provided with plates 96 suitably secured to the lugs 94 for preventing the shaft 90 from coming out of the slots 92. The sleeve 86 is provided with a slot, and the lever I8 extends through the slot and is threaded into a threaded opening provided in the eccentric 84. Movement of the eccentric 84 about the shaft 80 will increase or decrease the distance between the shaft 80 and the shaft 90.

The shoe I6 comprises a cast plate 90 which is provided with a surface complementary to that of the buck and together with the buck constitues the pressing or ironing surface. The lugs 94 are cast integral with the plate 58 and thereby support the shoe from the arm I4. A plurality of heating elements I00 are secured in position against the plate 98 by a pair of arms I02, which are held in position by a bolt I04 threaded into a suitable threaded opening formed in th plate 98. A dished sheet metal panel I06 is provided for covering the upper surface of the shoe and is provided with a transversely extending slot at the middle from one edge thereof to adjacent the opposite edge for receiving the arm I4. The panel I06 may be provided with a plurality of ribs I08 for stiffening the same and the side edges of the panel I06 are disposed within the side edges of the plate 98. On one side of the panel I06 a thermostat dial IIO may be provided for adjusting and controlling the temperature of the heating element, and on the other side of the panel I06, an opening may be provided whereby an electric cord I I2 for conducting ener-- gy to the heating element may pass to the space within the shoe I6.

When the arm is in the position illustrated in Fig. 3, if the lever I8 is moved from the position in which it is illustrated in full line to the position in which it is illustrated in dotted line, pressure will be applied to the shoe I6 forcing the same against the buck I2 and against the compression of the springs 65. When the lever I8 is moved from the position in which it is illustrated in full line in Fig. 3 to the position in which it is illustrated in dotted line in Fig. 3, the distance between the shaft 80 and the shaft 90 is increased on account of the fact that the center of the eccentric 84 will be moved downwardly.

In order to apply pressure to the shoe I6 when the same is disposed in operative position against the buck I2, it is necessary that the arm I4, which takes the pressure reaction ,be held from moving upwardly. To this end a locking mechanism is provided which becomes automatically effective for locking the arm I4 in the position in Fig. 3, when the shoe is moved down into operative position against the buck I2. This locking mechanism comprises a shaft I20 carried by the arm I4 and extending between the sides thereof, a locking cam I22 carried by the shaft I20, a spring I24 coiled about the shaft I20 and constraining the locking cam I22 toward the position in which it is illustrated in Fig. 3, and a locking surface I26 formed on the plate 32 and which cooperates wtih the locking cam I22 for holding the arm I4 in the position illustrated in Fig. 3 until released. The reaction to the application of pressure to the shoe is then taken through the shaft I0 and the locking cam I22 by the base member.

- When it is desired to movethe arm I4 from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 3 to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 4, it is necessary to release the locking cam I22 from engagement with the cam surface I26, and to this end, a linkage connection is provided between the cam I22 and the lever I8 which operates when the lever I8 is moved backwardly to its extreme position (or to the left from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 3) to move the cam I22 to the position in which it is illustrated in Fig. 4. The release mechanism for the locking cam comprises a link I30 pivoted'at one end thereof to the cam I22 and at the other end thereof to a bell crank I32, the bell crank I32 being pivoted upon a bracket I34 carried by the arm I4 internally thereof, a second link I36 pivoted at one end thereof -to the bell crank I32, and at the other end thereof, to an arm I38 carried by the shaft 80, and a pin I40 carried by the eccentric 84 upon one side thereof which is engageable with a portion of the arm I38 for moving the same in a counter clockwise direction about its pivot as viewed in Figs. 3 and 4.

The locking cam I22 is provided with a shoulder I42 which is engaged by a latch bar I44 pivoted on the arm I4, the latch bar being U-shaped, and which latch bar is held in place by a bracket I46 carried by the arm I4. After the locking cam I22 has been released by moving the lever I8 in a counter clockwise direction as far as possible, the latch bar I44 will engage the shoulder I42 of the locking cam I22 andhold the same in a position illustrated in Fig. 4, until the arm I4 swings upwardly suflicient for the end I48 of the latch bar to engage the flange 18 of the plate 34 and lift the latch bar free from engagement with the shoulder I42 of the locking cam I22,

whereupon the locking cam will be constrained by the spring I24 back toward its normal position in which it is illustrated in Fig. 3. When the arm I4 is again moved downwardly to a position where the shoe I6 is disposed against the buck I2, the cam I22 will lock against the cam surface I20 and hold thearm in such position so that pressure may be applied to the shoe I8 by operation of the lever I8.

The movement of the shoe I0 away from the buck enables an operator of the machine to place a piece of material upon the buck to be pressed without hindrance from the shoe, and after the material is placed upon the buck, the shoe I6 may be moved into engagement with the material by moving the arm I4 downwardly which may be accomplished through the intermediary of the handle 22. Thereafter operation of the lever I8 in a clockwise direction, looking at Figs. 3 and 4, will separate the arm I4 from the shoe I6 thereby applying pressure to the shoe and the buck I2 against the compression of the springs 85 and the resiliency of the backing plate 50 of the buck. After the material has been pressed or ironed, movement of the lever I8 in a counterclockwise direction from the position in which it is illustrated in dotted line in Fig. 3 to the position in which it is illustrated in full line in Fig. 3, will release the pressure between the shoe ment of the lever I8 will cause the pin I40 carried by the eccentric 84 to engage the upstanding portion of the lever I38 for operating the linkage to lift the locking cam I22 free from engagement with the locking surface I26.

The heating elements I00 in the shoe I6 preferably are covered with insulating material to prevent the cover I06 thereof from becoming heated. The cam I22 is adapted to lock with the cam plate 32 in a plurality of positions to permit different materials varying widely in thickness to be pressed between the shoe I0 and the buck I2.

While the invention has been described with some detail, it is to be understood that the description is for the purpose of illustration only,

and is not definitive of the limits of the inventive idea. The right is reserved to make such changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts as will fall within the purview'of the attached claims.

I claim:

1. In an ironer, a base, a buck resiliently supported thereby, an arm pivotally supported by said base, a shoe carried by said arm and cooperable with said buck, said arm being adapted for movably supporting the shoe in an operative position over said buck and in an inoperative position away from said buck, means adapted for automatically locking said arm, upon moving said shoe to an operative position over said buck, in any one of a plurality of positions wherein the shoe is contiguous to but spaced from the buck to permit materials varying widely in thickness to be pressed between said shoe and said buck. and means for applying pressure to said shoe when the same has been moved into an operative position over said buck.

2. In an ironer, a base, a buck supported thereby, a shoe movably supported upon said base and cooperable with said buck, said buck including a substantially horizontally disposed backing plate supported intermediate the ends thereof, said backing plate being deformable under a pressure within the range of the pressure applied to the buck by the shoe, and means for applying pressure to said shoe.

3. In an ironer, a base, a buck supported thereby, a vertically movable arm pivoted adjacent one end to said base, a:shoe, an adjustable connection between the other end of said arm and said shoe, said arm beingadapated to support said shoe in an operative position contiguous to said buck and in an inoperative position away from said buck, means effective for locking said arm in any one of a plurality of positions and against upward movement when said shoe is in operative position, and other means operably associated with said adjustable connection whereby said shoe may be moved relative to said arm for applying pressure to said shoe.

4. In an ironer, a base, a buck supported thereby, a vertically movable arm pivotally supported adjacent one end thereof by said base, a shoe, an ad1ustable connection between the other end of said arm and said shoe, said arm being adapted to support said shoe in an operative position contiguous to said buck and in an inoperative position away from said buck,

means effective upon moving said shoe into operative position for locking said arm in any one of a plurality of positions and against upward movement, a lever operably associated with such adjustable connection whereby said shoe may be moved vertically relative to said arm for applying and releasing pressure upon said buck, and a connection between said lever and said am locking means whereby the same may be released to permit said arm to move upwardly for moving said shoe away from said buck.

5. In an ironer, a base, a buck supported thereby, a vertically movable arm pivotally supported adjacent one end thereof by said base, a shoe carried by said arm at the other end thereof, said arm being adapted to support said shoe in an operative position over said buck and in an inoperative position away from said buck, means effective upon moving said shoe into operative position for locking said arm in any one of a plurality of positions and against upward movement, means including a lever for applying pressureto said shoe when the same is in an operative position, and a connection between said arm locking means and said lever whereby said lever may be operated for releasing said arm locking means.

6. In an ironer, a shoe member, a buck member, means for resiliently supporting one of said members, means for supporting one of said members for swinging movement toward and away from the other of said members, means for locking said members in any one of a plurality of position and contiguous to each other, means including a lever for applying pressure to said members when the same are contiguously disposed, and a connection between said lever and said locking means whereby said locking means may be released for moving said members away from each other.

'7. In an ironer including a buck, a shoe, a swinging arm for supporting said shoe for movement toward and away from said buck, means for locking said arm with respect to said buck when the shoe and buck are adjacent one another, an adjustable connection between said shoe and said arm comprising a shaft carried by said arm, an eccentric on said shaft, a sleeve carried by said eccentric, means for securing said sleeve to said shoe so as to permit swiveling action of said shoe, and a lever connected to said eccentric.

8. In an ironer, a base, a buck supported thereby, a swinging arm pivoted adjacent one end thereof to said base, said arm being channelshaped in cross section, a shoe cooperable with said buck and having a recess in the top surface thereof for accommodating one end of said arm, a connection between said shoe and said last mentioned end of the arm for enabling the swiveling of said shoe, means effective for locking said arm in position to hold said shoe against said buck, and means for releasing said locking means, said connection between said shoe and said arm. said releasing means and said locking means being housed and concealed within said arm.

9. In an ironer, a base comprising a pair of spaced side rails, means including a cam plate for rigidly connecting said side rails, a buck supported upon said side rails, an arm pivotally supported by said base, a shoe carried by said arm, said arm being adapted to move said shoe from an operative position adjacent said buck to an inoperative position away from said buck, means constraining said arm so as to move said shoe away from said buck, av locking cam carried by said arm and engageable with said cam plate upon moving said shoe into operative position for locking the shoe end of said arm against upward movement, and means for operating said locking cam to disengage the same from said cam plate.

10. In an ironer, a base comprising a pair of spaced side rails, means including a cam plate for rigidly connecting said side rails, a buck supported upon said side rails, an arm pivotally supported by said base, a locking cam engageable with said plate, a. shoe carried by said arm, said arm being adapted for moving said shoe from an operative position adjacent said buck to an inoperative position away from said buck, means constraining said arm so as to move said shoe away from said buck, means for releasing said locking cam from engagement with said plate, and a latch engageable with said locking cam for holding the same out of engagement with said cam plate until the shoe end of the arm approaches the end of its upward travel.

11. In an ironer, a base comprisingia pair of spaced side rails, means for rigidly connecting said side rails, a locking member carried by said side rails, a buck supported upon said side rails, an arm pivotally suported by saidbase, a shoe carried by said arm and cooperable with said buck, said arm being adapted to support said shoe for movement from an operative position adjacent to said buck to an inoperative position away from said buck, means constraining said arm so as to move said shoe away from said buck, a locking element carried by said arm and engageable with said locking member upon moving said shoe into position adjacent said buck for locking said arm against upward movement. means for operating said locking element to disengage the same from said locking member when it is desired to move said shoe away from said buck and a latch engageable with said locking element for holding the same out of operative engagement with said locking member until the shoe end of said arm approaches the end of its upward travel.

12. In an ironer, including a buck, a shoe, a swinging arm for supporting said shoe for movement toward and away from said buck, an adjustable connection between said shoe and said arm comprising a shaft carried by said arm, an eccentric on said shaft, a sleeve carried by said eccentric, means for securing said sleeve to said shoe, said means comprising a shaft adapted to permit said shoe to have a universal movement with respect to said sleeve, and a lever connected to said eccentric.

13. In an ironer, a rigid base, a buck supported on said base, a locking member carried by said base, an arm pivotally supported by said base, a shoe suspended from said arm and cooperable with said buck when said arm is moved about its pivot in one direction, means opposing the movement of said arm in said direction, said arm having a locking element engageable with said locking member for locking said arm against movement in a direction opposite to said first mentioned direction, means for disengaging said element from said member when moving said am in said opposite direction, and a catch for said element operable for maintaining said arm out of engagement with said locking member.

14. Ironing apparatus comprising an ironing element, a support for said ironing element and means for relatively moving said element and support including a first shaft mounted in said support, a second shaft mounted in said element, and an extensible connection between said second ing relationship, means to lock the arm against rotation about said pivot in any one of a plurality of angular relationships between the arm and base, and means to apply pressure between the buck and shoe while the arm and base are a so locked.

THEODORE R. BUSH. 

